1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to surgical instruments and, more particularly, to an electrosurgical ablation device utilizing a limited-use component, such as a disposable needle, and having an expandable chamber for anchoring the ablation device to tissue.
2. Background of Related Art
Energy-based tissue treatment is well known in the art. Various types of energy (e.g., electrosurgical, ultrasonic, microwave, cryogenic, thermal, laser, etc.) are applied to tissue to achieve a desired result, e.g., to cut, ablate, coagulate, and/or seal tissue.
Electrosurgery involves the application of radio frequency (RF) or microwave energy to a surgical site to cut, ablate, coagulate, and/or seal tissue. In monopolar electrosurgery, a source or active electrode, which is typically part of the surgical instrument held by the surgeon, delivers RF electrical current from a generator to tissue, while a patient return electrode is placed remotely from the active electrode to carry the current back to the generator.
In tissue ablation electrosurgery, for example, the RF or microwave energy may be delivered to targeted tissue by a limited-use component, such as a probe, needle, or electrode assembly. More specifically, with respect to the use of a needle, the needle is typically advanced through tissue to a desired position either prior to or during application of energy to tissue. After repeated use, these needles may become dull, bent, or otherwise deformed and, consequently, may become more difficult to place and operate upon subsequent use. As such, ablation devices have been developed which include replaceable needles, thus allowing the needle to be replaced after one or more uses without requiring replacement of the entire device (e.g., the handpiece).
During electrosurgery it is typically desirable to position the probe, needle or electrode assembly adjacent to tissue to be ablated and maintain the same position for a period of time necessary to ablate the tissue.